Forgotten Names
by theCerulean
Summary: There is only so much we know about Kenshin's past, and his family. What happens when an ordinary day brings a mysterious woman covered with scars to the Akabeko, who Kenshin happens to know?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Good morning, Miss Kaoru. It's going to be a beautiful day, that it is," said Kenshin.

Kaoru looked up at the red-headed man with the innocent smile she saved only for him. Just as Kenshin had sat down to breakfast, Sano and Yahiko arrived in a bickering thundercloud. Kenshin smiled to himself. He seemed to have acquired some strange, boisterous friends in his time as a wanderer. Kaoru payed the unabashed exchange of insults between Sano and Yahiko no mind- it was, after all, routine.

"Can't believe you keep calling me a kid!"

"I can't believe you think I look like a rooster! That's the dumbest thing I ever heard! If anyone around here looks like a rooster it's you- and a little one at that! I mean, your hair is just so spiky..."

"I am NOT LITTLE!"

"Ah, so you agree with the '_rooster'_ part, then?"

The argument ended with the arrival of the morning meal. It is hard to throw insults when one's face is being continuously stuffed with food.

After finishing up his breakfast- Sanouske was still trying to fit three rice-balls into his mouth- Kenshin turned to Yahiko and asked ever so earnestly, "Will you be training with Miss Kaoru this morning?"

"What sort of question is that, Kenshin? Of course he'll be training this morning," answered Kaoru before Yahiko had the chance to swallow his rice ball, "and this afternoon," she added, pointedly looking at her pouting student.

"Hey, what do you think I am? Your slave? Can't a guy have some time off?" whined Yahiko.

"Well if you want some time off from your training you can clean the dojo, do the laundry, fix the roof..."

"Alright, alright, training it is then," replied Yahiko before his master could come up with any more fantastic ways for him to spend the day and resumed eating his breakfast with a newfound chopstick technique- jabbing with vigor.

Kenshin smiled to himself. It was a typical morning for the strange group of ragtags and even though it was hard for them to show it in a 'normal' way, they were all very fond of each other. Their odd friendship had grown to be very strong over the past few months. They'd all been through a lot together, and in some cases, against each other.

Kamiya Kaoru had first met Himura Kenshin in Tokyo while she was looking for a man who claimed to have been killing people by using the Kamiya-Kasshin style- the style of her father. As Assistant Master of the Kamiya-Kasshin, Kaoru would not allow her family's honour to be smeared. Needless to say, the red-haired wanderer helped Kaoru put an end to the man's dishonor. After that, Kaoru insisted that he stay with her, at lest for awhile, not caring that he was once the Hitokiri Battousai- one of the most feared men in Japan during the revolution.

Yahiko was found attempting to pick-pocket Kenshin, who didn't scold Yahiko for his wickedness. He simply smiled and chided him gently, with the kind rurouni smile on his face. As it turned out, Yahiko was the ophaned son of a samurai with nowhere to go and enslaved to men holding him under a false debt (of which Kenshin freed him from, of course). Naturally he became the first apprentice of the Kamiya-Kasshin and lived at the dojo with Kaoru and Kenshin.

Sano was the least welcoming find, formerly Zanza- Fighter for Hire. He carried the largest sword ever crafted and wore the symbol for 'bad' on his back. He was hired to kill Kenshin. Luckily for Kenshin, Sano wasn't accustomed to fighting manslayers. Luckily for Sano Kenshin uses a reverse-blade sword. After taking a few moments to understand Sano's reason for fighting and Kenshin's vow to never kill again, they became very good friends. Sano has remained closely tied to the Kamiya dojo ever since.

Kenshin sipped his tea in quiet complacency, recalling those happy moments, a slight upturn of his lips never far away. Nest to him Sano had Yahiko in a headlock and a stream of colorful insults streamed out of the kid's mouth made Kaoru spout off a list of chores he would have to do in addition to his training if he didn't stop pestering Sano.

"Hey! If you don't want me pestering Sano then maybe you should stop feeding him! He's here like a stray dog and if you keep feeding him, he'll keep coming back," retorted Yahiko.

"I dare you to say that again, kid," said Sano as he tightened his arm around Yahiko's neck.

"I wouldn't talk if I were you, ya freeloader. All you do is eat and gamble-"

"You know something? That reminds me- I promised a buddy of mine I'd help him with somethin' after the dice rounds today. I'll see you guys later..."

Sano absentmindedly released Yahiko adn unfolded his tall, limber frame from the floor and headed out the door, not bothering to close the shoji behind him. Yahiko proceeded to gasp for air. Kaoru sighed and began picking up the dishes. Kenshin stopped her, taking the empty rice bowls from her hands.

"Do not worry about these, Miss Kaoru- this one will clean the dishes."

"Thanks, Kenshin. Yahiko," Kaoru shouted, "get up! We've got a lot to get done today!"

"I can't believe I'm learning swordsmanship from a girl...and an ugly one at that..." muttered Yahiko as he picked himself up off the floor.

A vein in Kaoru's temple began to throb. "What was that, Yahiko?"

"Nothing!"

"Ugh!"

Once again, Kenshin found himself smiling to no one in particular as Kaoru chased Yahiko outside with her bokken, both still exchanging insults. The wanderer shook his head and made himself busy with the dishes, mentally making a list of the chores he needed to get done today. It was just another ordinary day.

It was near evening when Sano finally returned, sporting a good sized money-pouch that resonated a metallic clinging noise. He looked fairly pleased with himself, large grin notwithstanding. Just as Kenshin announced he was going to get dinner started, Sano stopped him.

"No need, Kenshin. Tonight we're going to the Akabeko- it's on me." The fishbone hanging out of the side of his mouth bounced animatedly up and down as he spoke.

"Well, it loks like this was your lucky day, Sano, that it was," smiled Kenshin. Sano had been betting and losing for an unusually long time, lately.

"You bet it was! Where's Yahiko and the Missy? Still practicin'?"

"Miss Kaoru left a little early today to take care of something in town and left Yahiko to clean the dojo. Sessha thinks he's still at it."

"Well let's get moving, I'm starved!"

Sano and Kenshin walked around to the dojo and poked their heads through the shoji. Yahiko was there, alright, but he definitely wasn't cleaning. Instead he was curled up against the far wall, still clinging to the damp cloth that was normally used for cleaning the training floor. Kenshin let out a sigh.

"He should be grateful that we found him and not the Missy- she'd be furious," chuckled Sano. "Hey, kid, wake up, we're going to the Akabeko!"

Yahiko stirred a bit, but didn't wake. Grumbling, Sano pushed the shoji all the way open and sauntered over to where the kid was slumbering. He reached down and picked the kid up by the collar of his gi.

"C'mon, kid, I'm starving."

"Hey, just what do you think you're doing, Rooster-head?"

At the sound of 'Rooster-head', Sano promptly dropped him. "Fine, no dinner for you."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I was waking you up so we could hurry and get to the Akabeko, but I'm beginning to think we should just leave you here..." said Sano as he made his way to the door.

"Wait up- I'm starved!"

"Thought so..."

The three made their way to town and bumped into Kaoru as they were about to reach the Akabeko.

"Kenshin! What are you all doing here?"

"Sano is taking us all to the Akabeko for dinner."

"Sano? Did he rob somebody today?" exclaimed Kaoru with a speculative smirk.

"Hey! I won this money fair and square, Missy!" retorted Sano.

Kaoru scoffed. "With your bad luck?"

Sano pouted, his fishbone sticking stubbornly out of the corner of his mouth. Yahiko chuckled. Still pouting, Sano turned his back and continued on to the Akabeko.

Once they were seated, Miss Taetook their order and called Tsubame over for some tea.

"Tsubame-san, why don't you bring them some tea?" called Miss Tae in her sweet rural voice. Tsubame looked up from where she was taking an order from another customer and smiled. "Mow Mr. Sanouske, are you planing on paying off your tab any time soon?"

"As a matter of fact, Miss Tae, I was planning on doing just that tonight," said Sano, obviously pleased with himself.

"Well, Mr. Sano, that certainly is a nice surprise."

"It thought it'd be." Sano leaned back against the wall, hands behind his head. Miss Tae smiled, shaking her head at Sano's usual nonchalant behavior, and left to greet another customer.

"Thank you for taking us out to dinner, Sano" said Kenshin with his rurouni smile.

"Don't mention it."

Not long after their food had arrived the teasing and laughter broke out. And it wasn't just then either- all the customers at the Akabeko seemed to be hin good humor. But Kenshin couldn't seem to get his mind off something. Kaoru looked at him curiously, trying to decipher the rurouni's expression.

"Kenshin, is something wrong?"

"Sessha does not think so, but this one is senses a strong ki nearby. A warrior's ki. Sessha is fairly it is coming from the customer at the back table where Miss Tsubame was taking an order before she brought us tea," replied Kenshin. "Do not worry, Miss Kaoru, this one is just paranoid.

"Don't you think your paranoia has saved your life on numerous occasions?" Sano pointed out.

"Yeah, if it wasn't for you being so uptight all the time, we'd probably all be dead by now," piped Yahiko between mouthfulls.

"Tsubane?" said Kaoru just as the young girl was walking past them, "Who'd the customer at that back booth?"

"Oh, I don't know, I've never seen her before. Why do you ask Miss Kaoru? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, no, Miss Tsubame. There's nothing to worry about," Kenshin assured her. Tsubame left with her tray of dirty dishes in hand, but Kenshin didn't take his eyes off the shadow of the thin rice-paper of the back booth. There weren't many people with that strong of a ki who could be so subtle.

Just when Kenshin was about to avert his eyes, the shadow behind the rice-paper wall stood up to leave, but not before placing a few generous coins next to the empty rice-bowl. The figure emerged from the booth, her face clearly visible.

She was definitely a warrior, of sorts. She wasn't dressed in a kimono, but rather a warrior's garb, entirely in black. Her feed were bare, save for the black bandaging around her heels and ankles. The same sort of bandaging was on her hands and forearms as well as (from what could be seen from beneath her gi) her chest and torso. Two kodachi were strapped to her back, a katana and its accompanying wakizashi to her left side, and a pari of sai were strapped to her obi.

Her dark brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail in the same style Kenshin wore his hair in his days as a manslayer. He caught just the slightest glimpse of a dark forest green from her impossibly dark eyes as she walked past them to leave. Despite her frigid, imposing appearance, she was quite beautiful. She made not a sound as she moved.

Her face was neutral, expressionless, but her sharp features seemed to soften as she gave a slight bow to Miss Tae and Tsubame as they passed by her to a table of rowdy, drunk men who were steadily becoming more and more out of line. One of the men grabbed Tsubame's wrist and pulled her indecently close, but before Kenshin could get there, the strange woman already had the drunken man on the ground with his arm twisted cruelly behind his back.

She spoke in a soft, clear voice. It reminded Kenshin of the sound of summer rain. "My advice to you, sir, would be to never touch a woman without her expressed permission. It would serve you well to remember that." And in one fluid movement, she had flung him into one of his drinking buddies.

Tsubame, in spite of her shock, managed a "thank you". The woman nodded and gave Tsubame the smallest, warmest smile Kenshin had ever seen, then she turned and left.

"Kenshin? Do you know her?" asked Sano.

"This one... does not _think_ he knows her..." But there was something inevitably familiar in the woman's dark green eyes...

Ordinary day indeed.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The woman continued on her way out the door. When the moonlight hit her skin, Kenshin noticed that her entire body was covered in thin, finely carved, white scars. They covered her face, neck, hands, feet, and probably everywhere else. It was strange- who would give themselves such strange, beautiful scars? Yes, as strange as it may seem, they were beautiful. Each was embossed on her skin in delicate patterns that moved with the shadows. Though, the scars on her face were less attractive, despite her apparent beauty. They were thicker, less precise. They weren't works of art like the others were. These overlapped the lovely patterns with thick, jagged lines; one ran the length of her right cheekbone, another down her left eyebrow and over her eye- there was even one on the right side of her soft, plush lips. Kenshin had seen many scars, even carried one himself on his left cheek in the shape of a cross- a painful reminder of his tainted past- but never had he seen scars like hers. Who was she?

Just as he was thinking this, the drunken men had worked up a temper and followed her outside, shouting furiously. "Get out here you witch!"

"Don't you know how to respect your men?"

"C'mon, sweetheart, you ruined our fun!"

They laughed sickly and made a circle around her. She stood perfectly still, not showing the slightest sign of agitation. In fact, her face was the epitome of apathy. Her hands stayed relaxed at her side, neither moving away from her many weapons or straying too close.

"Aww, are you scared of us now, love?"

"I've no reason to be afraid," even in peril her voice imitated the sound of a gently flowing river. "But you do."

"And why's that my dear?"

"Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn."

They simply laughed at her. Kenshin didn't think it was going to end well for them. Sano asked tentatively, "Do you think we should help her?"

"Sessha thinks it is the men who are in need of assistance, Sano."

The Kenshingumi's feet had unkowingly brought them to the front of the Akabeko where a crowd had gathered to see the ensuing fight. Some of the men in the back were making bets- so far, the odds were in favor of the dark woman.

The drunk men laughed and pulled out crude, jagged-edged daggers and pocketknives, ready to lunge at the woman who had spoiled their fun. Still, the woman didn't move. Only her hair swayed just the slightest bit from the cool evening breeze. Two of the five men lunged for her. It was laughable, really- she only stepped aside. They crashed into their companions, now fuming. This time they all took a shot at her at the same time, reforming their circle. The woman was ready.

She fell to her knees, below knife-point and lunged upward on one man, grabbing his knife with her right hand and breaking his nose with her left. Now she was to the men's backsides. She threw the knife to the ground and landed a kick to the back of two of the men's knees, simultaneously grabbing the left elbow of the fourth and pushing him down as well. By this time the last man had turned around, knife at the ready. Giving a shout of frustration he lunged for her. She advanced towards him, took his wrist and twisted it so he dropped his weapon, clutched his neck and shoved him to the ground, knocking him out. The two men she had earlier sent to the ground were on their feet again, seeking revenge. She spun around to meet them, took hold of the arm of the man to her right and dug her knee into the gut of the man to her left. She jerked her the man to her right as she spun around, once again knocking his knees out from under him, and took his knife, all in one fluid motion. She landed a high kick to the other man's head, which, of course, knocked him out. But her other foot slipped on some loose gravel, and she was sent down onto a knife that the man on the ground was holding, courtesy of his fallen comrade who was on the ground with him. She wasn't shocked by the iciness of the dagger in her back. She rolled over and gave the man a good knock to his left temple, sending him deep to his dreams.

All five were on the ground either knocked out or in pain. The entire thing had only taken a matter of seconds. The strange woman stood from the ground, slowly, and began walking away towards the woods, reaching around to pull the knife from her back in the process. It hadn't pierced anything critical, but it left a steady trail of blood behind her. Kenshin shouted for her to stop, that there was a clinic only a few blocks away. But she quickened her pace and kept walking. By the time Kenshin caught up to her bloody trail, she was nowhere to be seen.

Kaoru, Sano, and Yahiko ran to him. "Who do you think she was, Kenshin?" asked Kaoru. "With all those scars, she must've fought in the Bakumatsu."

"Sessha has never laid eyes on such a fearsome presence, Kaoru-dono. This one does not know her, but she certainly knows how to fight, that she does."

"That's one tough chick, to have gotten all those weird scars, though, huh, Kenshin?" said Yahiko. His eyes sparked excitedly, wondering what sort of style fighting the strange woman had mastered with all those weapons she carried. Kenshin nodded in agreement.

"Sessha thinks you should all head back to the dojo- this one will look for the strange woman. Surely she will need help bandaging that wound," said Kenshin. Kaoru nodded in agreement.

As Kenshin followed the blood trail into the woods he could hear the distant shout of Miss Tae, telling Sano he hadn't paid yet. He was almost out of ear-shot when he heard Sano shouting back that he'd left his money-purse at the table anyhow. The rurouni smiled and continued on.

It had been a good twenty or thirty minutes before he was able to track down the woman. She was sitting by the river without anything covering the upper half of her body, washing out the wound. Kenshin made sure he stayed to her backside. The rurouni was certain she would decapitate him if she suspected he had even glanced at her. The stab wound had a steady blood flow, but it wasn't as bad as it appeared to be. He noticed that her scars did indeed cover her entire body. But there was one that stood out. It was rough and dark, stretching from the lower right point of her back to the very tip of her left shoulder. It had left her pale skin deformed and uneven.

Making sure his eyes stayed trained to the ground and that he was at least a good twenty feet away, Kenshin called to her. "Excuse me, but this one was wondering if you needed a doctor for your wound?" He bowed slightly, hoping she didn't think he was here to intrude on her privacy, but only to help her.

She turned her head (and only her head) towards the unfamiliar voice behind her. She folded her arms protectively over her chest and turned a little farther so she could see who had spoken. He was in a humbling bow, his hands resting on his thighs, his eyes averted from her figure. It was the crimson-haired samurai from the Akabeko. Immediately she frowned.

"I thank you for your concern, Master, but I have suffered many injuries in my life- I have no need for a doctor. My wound is not that serious."

"This one is sorry to have intruded. This one was only concerned."

"And I thank you, Master."

She set to bandaging herself, fully aware that the samurai hadn't yet left. "This one wonders why you call him 'Master'?"

She continued bandaging, making sure it was tight and orderly. "I call you 'Master' because I know you, though you may not remember me. I call you 'Master' because I owe you a great deal- my life, in fact. I call you 'Master', because I no longer know your name. The brother I had many years ago had a name that I have forgotten, as I have forgotten my own. The only thing I remember is that he had crimson hair and that we were separated. I call you 'Master' because thirteen years ago, during the Bakumatsu, a crimson-haired man killed my owners. That man, I _knew_, was Hitokiri Battousai. He looked right at me and did not recognize me, though I knew it was him. I call you 'Master' because I have forgotten your name, because you are no longer Battousai, and because I do not know your name now."

Kenshin froze exactly where he was, remembering that day thirteen years ago when he had an assignment to kill the owners of a notorious group of anti-imperialist bandits disguised as traders. They had been working with several other anti-imperialist groups in Kyoto. They were a great threat to the new government and had to be terminated. There was supposed to be a meeting between the leaders of each group, it was Battousai's job to assassinate them. All eight of them were there the night of his assignment. Only there was an unexpected guest. A young girl of about eleven with dark green eyes- a slave. They had been toying with her throughout their meeting. Kenshin had seen them while waiting to make his move. He remembered he had killed the men with the same ease and perfection as he had slain the many before them. He was drenched in blood. The girl had been standing near the back of the room in a place she could be called from at any moment, entirely subject to her owner's commands. Battaousai looked at her from the corner of his eye, afraid to look her in the face. He knew who she was, but he didn't want her living with the knowledge of him, of his tainted soul. He had left her there to fend for herself, not speaking a word. It was no wonder her eyes had stirred a certain familiarity within him- she was his sister. Younger than him by four years.

After making sure the bandaging was secure, she pulled on her black gi, from which she had scrubbed off the blood, thought he hole in the back still remained. She stood from her spot on the riverbank and turned to face him, her brother. He had stopped bowing now and stood with his face in an expression of both shock and guilt. She secured her kodachi to her back after securing her gi while she waited for him to speak again.

"Sessha is truly sorry that he did not recognize his sister. Sessha is sorry that he did not make it known to his sister that he recognized her that day, thirteen years ago. He did not want his sister to live knowing that her brother was a murderer," said Kenshin, head bowed, voice trembling.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Master. I've been hoping to find you somewhere in my journey across Japan. I had hoped that I would find you alive, happy, even," she said softly. He didn't move. "Will you tell me your name?" she asked, her voice barely overcoming the noise of the rustling leaves.

"Himura Kenshin."

"Kenshin..." she whispered.

"What do they call you, Sister?" asked Kenshin. He still would not look directly at her, but he could see the deeply set frown on her face.

"I have many names, my brother, but I think the one you would like most is Amaya."

Kenshin sounded it out on his lips. Amaya... it was a beautiful name, meaning 'Night Rain'. He understood why someone would call her that but he had to wonder who was bold enough to do so in her presence.

"Please, Amaya, come with this one to the Kamiya dojo and stay. Sessha does not want to lose his sister again," Kenshin said, this time actually looking at her, though he was still in a state of shock. But strangely, she wasn't. She seemed to be perfectly calm. She walked towards him, a signal for him to lead the way.

He turned and she followed. After several uncomfortable minutes of silence, Kenshin brought himself to ask the question that had been burning on his lips since he first saw her. "Amaya?"

"Yes, brother?"

"Why do you have so many scars?" He half-expected her to slap him for being so forward. But he supposed he was her brother and he had the right to know.

"The first five years of my freedom after you had disposed of my owners were spent working in a geisha house; cleaning, serving, attending to every need of every geisha. I usually accompanied them to the tea-houses should they have been in need of something. For those five years, hitokiri visited the teahouses and I had come to know each face and name. One of them was Onatara Kane, the man I fell in love with. Did you know him?" She looked at her brother expectantly.

"Yes, Sessha knew Onatara-san. He was three years older than Sessha," he gave her a disapproving look, "and worked in the southern hitokiri sect of Kyoto." Amaya nodded.

"He held love for me in return, and it did not go unnoticed. We had risked too many meetings outside the teahouse, late at night, hoping no one would see us. Of course someone did, someone very close to Kane-anata." Her pace slowed by mere fractions of a second as she thought of her dear Kane, her eyes mournful- it was the first hint of emotion Kenshin had seen on his sister's face. He bristled a bit, though, at the thought of his little sister having a lover at such a young age and with man older than even himself.

Sensing her brother's disapproval she continued, "He and I were not lovers- we had a chaste relationship." The tension in the rurouni's shoulders relaxed only slightly. "Kane-anata's friend, Burutsan Kyamatsu also harbored feelings for me. He became jealous of mine and Kane-anata's relationship and that jealousy evolved into obsession. He never left me alone. Over the next year after he discovered us, he continually made it harder for Kane-anata and I to meet. Eventually he kidnapped me- this was long before I learned how to fight- and kept me with him, threatening to kill my beloved should I try to escape. For many months he tortured me, running his knife all over my body to remind me that he had control. He placed the characters of ownership in various places on my skin," she said, holding up her right hand for Kenshin to see. On her palm was the character for 'mine'. Amber pigment began to seep into the rurouni's violet eyes. Amaya dropped her hand. "Finally Kane-anata found me. But in his relief to see me alive and to protect me, he died at the hands of Burutsan."

They walked in silence once more, Kenshin fuming at the injustice he let his sister suffer through for so long. Amaya was merely reflective of her words, remembering how Kane's blood had washed over her entire body as she held him close to her as he died.

"I became unbearably angry with Burutsan. I didn't care what he did to me- I'd suffered torture before under my owners- but he had the audacity to hurt my beloved, my Kane." Several moments passed. Kenshin sensed Amaya's ki changing from a reflective state to that of a blood-thirsty warrior. Amaya's voice was flat as she said, "I killed him with Kane-anata's katana, the very katana I carry with me now."

Kenshin felt his heart sink. How could he have not taken her with him the day he murdered the bandit leaders? Didn't it occur to him that life for her would be hard and perilous? Of course not, in those days, he had been selfish...

Again sensing her brother's feelings Amaya continued, "Please, brother, nothing in my life has been your fault. Kane-anata knew we shouldn't love each other, but love cannot be helped. I knew it would be dangerous and I would probably die, but that was an easier reality to live with than living until old age without him."

This, Kenshin understood. Still grieving for his sister's awful past, he told her of how he became the thirteenth apprentice of the Hiten Mitsyruge Ryu-sen; of his days as Battousai; of Tomoe; of his vow. It was now Amaya's turn to grieve, wishing she could take away her brother's guilt. But knowing that it was something she could never do, she settled for walking closely next to him.

After a few minutes, Kenshin sneaked another look at his sister. Her neck was at just the right angle so that the silver moonlight that cascaded through the treetops illuminated another character of ownership just below her left ear, and his blood boiled at the sight of it. But he did not have long to think of it- it had washed away with the moonlight as they moved forward under the treetops.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Upon reaching the dojo Kenshin could hear Kaoru and Yahiko bickering about training. Apparently Yahiko was sick of doing the same routine every day and Kaoru insisted that he keep that routine until he could execute it flawlessly. Kenshin would have smiled at the familiarity of the situation, but he was still in shock (even after twenty minutes). He led his sister into the courtyard to Kaoru and Yahiko- Sano was sitting on the veranda, a long piece of grass sticking comically out one side of his mouth. He stood up immediately when he saw Kenshin with the strange fighter woman from the Akabeko. Kaoru and Yahiko didn't notice them until Sano got up.

"Amaya, this Sagara Sanouske, Kamiya Kaoru, and Miyojin Yahiko. This is Kaoru-dono's dojo and she is the Assistant Master of the Kamiya-Kasshin style." Amaya bowed graciously.

Kaoru gave Kenshin a strange look. Why did he address this woman without the honorific? Kenshin addressed all women with it, why not her?

"That was some stylish fighting back there, Amaya-san," commented Sanouske. Amaya only nodded her thanks.

Kaoru stepped forward with her hands folded before her. "Miss Tae and Tsubame are very grateful for your assistance at the Akabeko, Amaya-san. I am sure they would like very much to thank you personally. I promised them I would ask you to stop by if I saw you again." Kaoru glanced at Kenshin again, begging for an explanation.

"I was only concerned for the occupants of the Akabeko. I am glad to have been of assistance," Amaya replied in her flowing voice. Amaya mimicked Kaoru's glance at her brother, wondering if he should explain or if she.

Kenshin seemed to get the message. "Why don't we all go inside and talk?"

Amaya followed the group inside and took her place beside her brother.

"This one never told you of his sister, who he had forgotten from a long time ago. I do not remember what her name was, but I recognized her eyes thirteen years ago when she was a slave to the men I was sent to kill. And, not wanting to taint her life with the blood I had spilled, left her without a word."

Kaoru's eyes softened as she looked at the intimidating woman next to Kenshin. Suddenly her dark green eyes no longer evoked fear, but rather sorrow. Kenshin continued to tell them his sister's story and of her scars. After everything had sunk in, Sano suggested that Amaya see Takani Megumi, the lady doctor at the clinic, about her stab wound.

"If you don't get her to look at it, it'll leave a scar," Sano pointed out after Amaya refused seeing a doctor.

"Does it really matter if I get one more?" she asked, gesturing to her scar-covered face and neck. Even though she hadn't said it scoldingly, Sano reddened, embarrassed at having drawn attention to her scarred body. Noticing the color in his face Amaya said, "It is alright, Sanouske-san, if you wish I will see Takani-san tomorrow."

"Well, Amaya, you are more than welcome to stay here with us," said Kaoru. She smiled at Kenshin's sister, who looked quite worn out. Perhaps she had lost more blood than they thought- her face what disgustingly pale.

Amaya bowed, her head mere centimeters from the tatami mat she sat on, "I thank you for your kindness, Miss Kaoru, it is not given in vain."

Kaoru bowed back, moved by Amaya's humbleness. Kenshin left to make some tea for everyone. Unsure of what to do next, Amaya stared at her hands which were neatly placed on her lap.

Kaoru thought that there was so much likeness between Amaya and Kenshin- though it had nothing to do with their looks. Only their skin tones and facial structures were similar. But no one would have guessed they were siblings from their coloring. But their spirits were close. Kenshin was quiet, gentle, kind, open-hearted- everything a good friend, a good _person_, should be, though his heart had been laden with guilt long before Kaoru had met him. Amaya was much the same- quiet, presumably gentle, perhaps not so open, but carried an aura of grace and honor. Her spirit was drenched with the reality of the years she had spent in this world. She may not feel guilty as her brother does, but there is a certain sorrow in her eyes that ignites sympathy in others.

"So..." said Yahiko, "what now?"

Sano quirked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Yahiko sighed with dramatized exasperation. "I mean, what happens next?"

"Amaya is going to live with us," said Sano, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Only for a while," Amaya interjected. Sano gave her a surprised look.

"But why? You're Kenshin's sister, it's just logical that you live here with us. I mean we're no family by normal standards, but we are a family...sort of..."

"Let's just say I tend to leave a trail of blood..."

Kaoru looked slightly amused. "You sound like your brother."

"Really?"

"He seems to think he endangers us all by staying here, but I honestly think that he's saved us more times than he's gotten us into trouble," said Kaoru, smiling widely.

Amaya smirked. She knew Kenshin served penance for the hundreds of lives he took during the revolution, but she never served penance for the lives she took. "I'm afraid my brother and I are more different than alike, Miss Kaoru."

Kenshin walked in with a tray of tea in his hands. He placed it on the tatami in the middle of the floor in everyone's reach.

"What do you mean?" said Yahiko. Kenshin looked at her questioningly.

"Brother, there is something I have not told you..." She stared off into a place Kenshin could not see. Her eyes were completely unfocused, as if she removed her spirit away from her body so that she would be there herself when her body confessed her dark secret.

"I am sorry, but after Kane-anata's death, I turned my body into a weapon. I learned to use a katana, sai, wakazashi and kodauchi. I became a private assassin- cold and empty from the loss of Kane-anata, and perfect for killing. I know you have killed men beyond count, brother, but I have killed more." Amaya looked at her brother with mournful eyes. "You are both Battousai and Rurouni- but, brother, I am just me, and I am a killer. Don't you smell the blood?"

Kenshin lowered his eyes. Yes, he could smell it. It seemed to seethe from her skin, through her clothing and into the surrounding air. It was subtle, but it was there and it was persistent. But besides the blood he could also smell a fresh, pine scent that reminded Kenshin of being in the crisp mountain air.

"Amaya, please stay with us. This one's heart would break if you left. Sessha did not care for you in the past and he is determined not to leave you again," said Kenshin, looking his sister in the eye.

"Blood follows me, brother, I cannot bring such unholy disruptions to you or your friends."

"Please, Amaya-san, Kenshin already causes enough disruptions as it is, but he always manages to protect us," said Kaoru. "But then again, as Assistant Master of the Kamiya Kasshin style, I don't need protecting."

"And I take care of myself," interrupted Sano. "Besides, you wouldn't just leave your brother would you, Amaya-san?" The rooster-headed man cocked his head to one side, an arrogant smirk on his lips.

Amaya, showing no sign of emotion said that she would think about it, but that for now she would stay. Kenshin smiled, pleased that he would, at the very least, have some time to get to know her and to try and make up for the years of her life he had missed.

"It's getting late, we'd better get some rest," said Kenshin. He pointedly looked at Sano and Yahiko who were yawning.

Kaoru stood, "You can share a room with me, Amaya-san." Once again Amaya bowed before standing up and followed Kaoru.

Before exiting through the shoji, Amaya turned to her brother. Her expression remained void of emotion, but her eyes sent a message to him. He returned it in the same way.

It was not long after they had carefully laid out their futons that Kaoru had resigned to a deep, peaceful sleep. The woman in the futon next to her however, was not so lucky. For an hour now she had been convulsing and muttering incoherently in her sleep; crying out to an invisible savior.

Finally, her nightmare having become so violent, Amaya's screams awoke Kaoru who immediately sat up, eyes wide open. She noticed Amaya was fighting something, though still asleep. For a moment Amaya quieted down, her incomprehensible words becoming faint and seemingly helpless. Finally she let out a hair-raising scream that tore through the night's heavy air. Her chest raised up from the floor, her neck stretched out, arms seemingly held to the ground. Her face contorted beyond recognition.

Kenshin came flying to Kaoru's room, throwing open the shoji without ceremony- something he never would have done had it not been for the urgency in his sister's scream. He rushed to her. Kaoru had tried to wake Amaya, but to no avail- Amaya was trapped in a nightmare.

"Amaya!" Kenshin yelled, attempting to push away the hand Amaya threw up, as if in defense.

At the same time Kenshin yelled her name, her eyes flew open- a furious storm brewing inside her usually emotionless pupils. Her free hand pushed one of her sai against Kenshin's throat. Slowly she became aware of her surroundings and lowered the weapon that had almost drawn blood from her brother's throat. Immediately tears began to fall from her emerald eyes. Kenshin released her wrist tentatively, scrutinizing her confused expression.

"Amaya...?" whispered Kenshin. He was wary of what she would do next.

Amaya averted her eyes. Without a word she stood from her futon and headed out the door, dropping her sai carelessly onto the floor, making a padded 'thud' on the tatami mat. Kenshin felt a wave of gratefulness towards his sister's diligence, noticing that her yukata was tied firmly shut (it was, after all, the only think she had on, and by no means decent by societal standards, even late at night). He fought the urge to call after her.

"This one is sorry, Kaoru-dono. This one did not know that his sister would wake you in such a violent manner," said Kenshin.

"Don't worry about it, Kenshin. It's not like people can control the dreams they have." Kaoru's voice, groggy from the late hour, was forgiving. Kenshin inwardly flinched. "Perhaps you should go after her, she didn't look well."

Kenshin nodded and left, but not before double-checking to make sure that Kaoru hadn't been permanently scarred by Amaya's episode. Much to Kenshin's relief he didn't have to look far. He found his sister standing at the dojo entrance, staring into the dense forestry that surrounded the outside wall.

Her stance was rigid, but not from determination. She was shaking with such violence that the fabric of her yukata trembled. Kenshin didn't dare get too close to her. It wouldn't have surprised him to find out that she had another well-concealed weapon on her person. Little did the rurouni know that he needn't have stood so far back, she was unaware of his presence until he spoke.

"Sister?"

Amaya raised her head, but said nothing.

"Is something wrong?"

Slowly, she turned around.

"I was foolish to think I could spent an entire night inside..." she said, her voice trailing off, unable to keep up with all the thoughts that were racing through her mind.

"What do you mean?" asked Kenshin, inching closer.

"Nothing. I should go." Amaya turned around with the intention to head back to Kaoru's room and gather her things, but not before Kenshin placed a firm hand on her arm. He looked into her eyes- his heart shattered at what he saw.


End file.
